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Monday, July 30, 2012

My family and I have a favorite restaurant. We find just about every excuse possible to visit there: birthdays, Mother's Day, random celebrations, our anniversary, and more...

Why do we like it? Probably for the same reason most people like any restaurant: Good food, good service and good atmosphere. What's most impressive to me, however, is that after over a dozen visits to this restaurant, we've never not had a great experience. (Translation: It's always been awesome.)

I'm sure that some visitors have been less than impressed with this place: No restaurant has ever pleased everyone all the time. But any visit I make there reminds me that I should desire to do all I can with excellence.

We like greatness when we experience it. But so often we settle for less in our own lives...

Monday, July 23, 2012

If you haven't noticed, it's been awhile since I've posted a How I Read It book review.

Put simply, I haven't blogged about a book I've finished because I haven't finished a book since Kelton was born.

I am still slowly working my way through a couple books, and I'll post reviews as I finish them.

However, I will be abandoning my 2012 Book Reading List. Instead, when I get to the point that I'm ready to read a book, my plan is to look over books on my "To Read" list, choose one that fits where I'm at and what I"m going through, and read it and apply it.

I may yet get to all the books on my 2012 list. And I may re-launch a year long book reading plan in 2013, but we'll let life settle down a bit before I set any further goals.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

You've heard of Father's Day and Mother's Day... but what about Kid's Day?

It's true that this holiday is somewhat recognized here and there. But by and large, as a society and culture we forget to celebrate the children in our lives.

While my family hasn't landed on a set day to celebrate, we did make a point to call yesterday 'Kid's Day'. More than a specific date I think the important thing is your attitude:

Kids are worth celebrating. You should do it.

And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”(Mark 9:36-37 ESV)

Thursday, July 12, 2012

In this broken place where I was born
It seems there is no peace, And the very soil that we walk upon
Is filled with tears that never cease, And you can trace the scars of hopelessness
Like sweat upon the backs Of all the outcast downtrodden,
Water slipped through cracks

Hold on,
Hold tight

And I am overwhelmed with grief,
to see such suffering, For those who lack the voice to speak
For those of us left stuttering

May this not prevail,
Dear Lord, your love will never fail

And these frail hands,
They tremble as they pen perhaps their last And these weak words,
Can never say what cannot be surpassed

When the concrete of the world
Becomes too cumbersome to lift, And the cataracts of fear and doubt
Cloak truth beyond what we can sift And darkness, darkness bleeds its way,
When crippling anguish clouds our sight, The ghosts of dusk have bared their teeth, Set their claws to bring the night

Hold on,
Hold tight

Darkness can’t perceive the light,
though lightlessness has chilled us numb, And though its wings may cloud the skies,
The dark shall never overcome

Light of the world,
Your love, has never failed

And these frail hands,
They tremble as they pen perhaps their last And these weak words,
Can never say what cannot be surpassed

I need your love,
And most of all I want to feel your peace, I need your love,
Let everything that you are not decrease,

Monday, July 9, 2012

No really. Anyone can wax eloquent on a topic given enough time to prepare.

But what we really need is people to lead dialogues. Too often I think we're guilty of feeding people our thoughts instead of actually helping them think for themselves.

When you're next called to teach, maybe instead of you teaching, you should let God's word teach itself. Ask questions, lead a dialogue, and keep Scripture and each person's response to it as first and foremost.

Monday, July 2, 2012

One of the questions I asked myself on my Summer Game Plan was: What do I do better than anyone else?

It seems like a prideful question at first glance. But please understand my goal here isn't to brag or flaunt what I do the best. My desire is to better understand myself and make sure that I'm in my "sweet spot" when it comes to life and ministry.

It's funny (and maybe a little sad) that I don't have a hard and fast answer to that question after eight full-time summers at camp. But let me tell you what I have discovered:

In general, I spend way too much time doing things that anyone could do with the same level of proficiency. Yardwork, facility care, cleaning, pool upkeep are a few things that come to mind. This isn't to say that I'm above these tasks, I'm only asking: Why do I spend a majority of time and energy on things that anyone could do? Why don't I focus more time and energy on what I do the best?